


Not How It's Supposed To Go

by Fisticuffsandjapery



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2015-11-03
Packaged: 2018-04-29 18:03:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5137442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fisticuffsandjapery/pseuds/Fisticuffsandjapery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>WARNING: Spoilers for Season 3</p>
<p>' One name.  And all of Jude’s conviction had waivered.  It was the first time that he had something real to hold onto.  Something that disproved that he was just some warm body to the other man.  “I would love to take Gideon on a date, to a public place, and listen to him tell me exactly who he is. If you want that, give me a call sometime.” He’d actually smiled back at Zero.  He actually thought-</p>
<p>He scoffed at how ridiculous it sounded now.  What had he thought?  That that moment there had actually meant something significant to the sportsman?  Because like an idiot he waited.  He waited for the call that never came.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not How It's Supposed To Go

Jude rolled his eyes as he tried to ignore the basketball player’s presence. As always these days, Zero was sandwiched between two, barely legal girls, with seemingly not a care in the world.

Shaking his head slightly he forced himself to look away.

He could do this. He had moved on. He’d had Jayden. A guy that had wanted to be with him. A guy who wasn't afraid to feel something real for another person. He’d had three months of a real relationship and he knew that that was the kind of guy he was. He wasn't going to be someone’s plaything any more.

Still, seeing Zero, the memory of the last time that he had seen him came flooding back.

_“I’m done settling for percentages, percentages of my father, percentages of you. I want it all, and I can’t stick around waiting for it.” And he had meant it. He couldn't do it any more. He didn't want to do it any more. He was tired of being the only one that cared._

_“Gideon.” Jude only stopped out of pure confusion._

_“What?”_

_“That’s my name. Gideon.”_

_One name. And all of Jude’s conviction had waivered. It was the first time that he had something real to hold onto. Something that disproved that he was just some warm body to the other man.“I would love to take Gideon on a date, to a public place, and listen to him tell me exactly who he is. If you want that, give me a call sometime.” He’d actually smiled back at Zero. He actually thought-_

He scoffed at how ridiculous it sounded now. What had he thought? That that moment there had actually meant something significant to the sportsman? Because like an idiot he had waited. He waited for the call that never came.

The first week he reasoned with himself. Zero was a busy guy. He had endless promos and parties and there had been loads of occasions where he hadn’t returned his calls. So what if he was still his agent. His radio silence didn't mean Jack, right? But then the second week had passed. By the third, Jude was more than annoyed. He had seen Zero on television a number of times doing interviews that he had organised, and his hands didn't look like they had been cut off.

So he had called him.

Straight to voicemail. And Jude had left one, feigning something about an upcoming photo shoot. He’d given it a week more before beer bottle in hand he had blocked Zero's number,  typed out his resignation letter and posted it in the mail, envelope deliberately addressed to Gideon.

He was on a plane to New York the next day. He had told himself that he needed the summer. That’s it. He’d be over it after the summer. Everything that was slowly trying to drain the life out of him.

He’d got a job at bar, and a gay bar at that. He’d met Jayden four weeks into the job. At first it was just flirting, Jayden paid him attention. He had the nerdy hipster thing going on. He had liked that. Then the guy had asked Jude out for a proper drink. Soon enough, they were hanging out together every night. Jayden wanted him. Jayden wanted to hold his hand in public and kiss him without warning. So what if Jayden didn’t have a clue about basketball or that he didn’t get why game days were so important? So what if he tried to drag Jude to every new art gallery or juice bar opening? So what if Jayden didn’t know anything real about his life back home? That wasn’t important. He made Jude feel wanted. And for moments at a time, Jude could forget the heaviness in his heart every time he switched to a sports channel and find Zero’s face staring back it him. Jayden didn’t know anything at all about Zero. And that suited Jude just fine.

But somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that the summer couldn't last forever, and that New York was never going to be his real home. So when Pete had called asking him to come back saying that there was an up and coming new player that could use an agent he jumped at the chance. Because even after all that had happened, he loved being an agent. He loved basketball, and he’d be damned if he let some narcissistic jerk take that from him.

Ok, so he had to admit, for the first couple of weeks he actively avoided Zero. It was harder when Daniel Carter, his new kid, wanted to sit in practices on the court but he had managed it.

But today, there was Zero.

Shirtless.

In just his boxer briefs.

Photoshoot in progress.

Jude would have made a beeline straight back out of there but he knew he was spotted coming into the room. There was no way he had been missed from the surprise in Zero’s eyes.

He was sweating through his suit, but he wasn’t going to run. Not anymore. Zero indicated that he wanted to take five and sauntered over him. Jude sucked in a breath.

Fuck.

Why did he have to look so good?

“Hey,” Zero said in the most laidback tone Jude had ever heard.

“Hi.” Jude tried to match it.

Zero scratched the back of his head flexing his biceps. “Heard you were out of town. When did you get back?”

“Couple of weeks ago.” Jude forced himself to stay focused on Zero’s face, no matter how much his eyes wanted to wonder.

The cool demeanour vanished. Zero gave him a frustrated look. “And what? You forgot to tell me? Jude you were my agent, you can’t just-”

Jude stopped him. “Exactly. Were. I have a new client now. I think he’s going to be big.”

“What Carter? He’s barely played college ball. We could have been killing it together.”

Jude shrugged. He didn’t trust himself not to make a passive aggressive comment back.

Zero tried again. “How about we catch up at yours tonight?”

Jude couldn’t help the quick retort back. “I know what you want. And I’m not doing that anymore. See you around Zero.” And with that he walked away, not even taking a moment to look back.

* * *

Jude saw him two days later at yet another promo party.

He wanted Daniel to be seen mingling with the best even if that meant he had to run the risk of seeing Zero again.

He didn’t even notice Zero come up behind him until that all too familiar voice muttered in his left ear.

“Can we talk outside?” Jude was about to say no. They were done with talking. But then he heard Zero say one more word, “Please?”

Despite himself, Jude nodded and led the other man outside. It was a warm evening. They wordlessly, wondered over to a secluded part of the beach. Jude leaned on the railings and waited. He didn’t even want to look at the other man for fear he would do something stupid like kiss him. Zero stayed silent. “I thought you wanted to talk,” Jude prompted.

“I did. I do.”

Jude gave a sarcastic laugh. “Well?”

Zero sighed. “Could you quit being so...”

“So?”

“...Heartless.” Jude turned to him in anger. Did Zero just call him heartless? Was he fucking kidding? This was too much. Jude shock his head in disbelief ready to head back to the party. Why didn’t he listen to his head? He knew that he shouldn’t have agreed to talk. He turned to walk back to the party. Maybe locate a sizeable glass of scotch. But Zero grabbed his arm. “After I got your resignation letter I called you. Messaged. I thought- I wanted to- You said you wanted me to- You said you wanted Gideon to- I called.” Zero said tripping over his words.

Jude glanced down at the hand holding him there. Zero let go and the other man turned back to face him, still not quite meeting his gaze. “A month too late.”

“I needed time,” Zero tried to explain.

Jude nodded. “And I needed to stop wishing that I could have you,” he said softly. He couldn’t stop the sadness creeping through his voice.

“You do! You can have me. Jude-”

“Not in the way I want, Zero. Go back to your girls. I can’t keep doing this with you. It hurts too much.” Fuck. This wasn’t meant to happen. He told himself that he wasn’t going to let Zero see how much it had hurt. But he couldn’t stop the all to familiar prick of tears forming.

Zero threw his hands in the air. “And you think the last four months have been a picnic for me? Wondering where you were? Not knowing if you were going to come back. Do you know how stupid I felt when people asked after you?”

“Well, I’m sorry my trip to New York made you feel stupid,” Jude bitterly spat. Zero sighed.

“That’s not what I meant. Jude, I miss you!”

Jude corrected him. “You mean you miss the sex.”

It seemed like that was the last straw for the blonde man. Zero exploded. “No, you fucking idiot! I mean, I love you!”

The words lingered in the air. Jude froze as he let the words sink in. He could hear Zero breathing beside him. He could tell the other man’s eyes were on him. He wanted to meet them, but he didn’t know how. He’d waited, hoped, to hear those words for so long that he’d given up believing he ever would. And now he didn’t know what he was supposed to do. Jude felt Zero step closer to him. He forced himself to make eye contact. Zero looked like he was searching for something, anything, to give him any indication that Jude felt the same back.

But Jude didn’t know what to think, let alone feel. Surely this was all just a dream? He felt Zero gently kiss him and as if on autopilot he kissed back. It felt different to any other kiss they had had before. Slow. Hesitant. Almost like a promise. Jude had to hold back a groan when Zero pulled back slightly. The taller man whispered against Jude’s lips. “I love you, Jude.”

“Er...” Jude’s head was spinning. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

Zero stole another quick kiss. “You just watch Jude Kincade. I’m going get you back all the while looking this goddamn fine.” With that, Zero straightened his suit and walked back to the party leaving Jude to wonder what the fuck had just happened.

**Author's Note:**

> So this was my first attempt at writing a Hit the Floor fanfiction and would love some feedback.
> 
> Both Jude and Zero could be totally OCC so any comments would be appreciated.
> 
> Just wanted Jude to have someone reach back for once! :D


End file.
